Three students – Ronak Khatri, Ankur Singh Mavi, and Umesh Kumar — studying at Delhi University’s Law Faculty had approached the High Court arguing that the lack of air conditioning in classrooms has created unbearable conditions, especially during peak summer months when temperatures in Delhi can reach up to 48 degrees Celsius.
“This situation is contrasted by the presence of multiple air conditioners in administrative offices and staff rooms, indicating a significant disparity in the allocation of resources. Furthermore, the third building, constructed with makeshift materials such as tin roofs and asbestos-lined walls, exacerbates the heat issue, creating an uninhabitable learning environment. The students have on many occasions suffered heat strokes, fainting etc. including the Petitioner no 1 (Khatri),” the plea stated.
It contended that around 5,000 students study at the Law Faculty. With such numbers, having only four water coolers was insufficient to meet the demand.
“Situation of drinking water is so dire that all the Petitioners after having suffered health problems because of consumption of water from campus, have resorted to buying packaged drinking water and this expense have significantly increased their cost of education. The money that each of the petitioners have spent on buying of these water bottles is almost thrice of their college annual fee,” the plea added.
The petitioner-students further argued that connectivity issues at the campus hamper students’ access to essential academic resources.
Source: Barandbench
